Grain-meter



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES D. SPRAGUE, OF BLAIRSTOlVN, MISSOURI.

GRAIN-METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,034, dated March15, 1892.

Application led April 8, 1891l To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLEs D. SPEAGUE, of Blairstown, in the county ofHenry and State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Grain-Meters, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming part of this specilication.

Myinvention relates to an improved device for automatically measuringgrain, and it is intended more particularly for use in connection withthrashing-machines to measure the grain as it comes from the machine.

My invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fullydescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I is a side elevation of my improved register. Fig. II is a frontelevation. Fig. III is a side elevation showingr the other side of thedevice to that shown in FigI and showing the measuring-boxes in the actof turning.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a suitable frame, which may beof any desired form or shape, and in which are pivoted at 2 thegrain-receiving boxes 3 4, the bottoms of which are indicated by thedotted lines A. The boxes are connected by a web or connection 5, so asto revolve together, and the back L1 of one of the boxes is in line withthe back 3 of the other box, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. III,and the pivot 2 is on a line with these backs, so that the boxes 3 and 4are on opposite sides of the pivot. The normal position of the boxes isthat shown in Fig. I, in which position they are held by a projeetion 6on the lower outer corner of the upper box bearing against the outerinturned end 7 of a lever S, pivoted to the frame at 9 and provided withan adjustable eounterbalance-weight 10 on the opposite side of the pivot9 from the end 7 of the lever. Fach box has a projection G for comingagainst the end 7 of the lever.

The grain is deposited into the boxes through means of a suitable chute11, and the box receiving the grain,being forward of the pivot 2, has atendency to revolve in the direction of the arrow, Fig. I, and when thenecessaryT amount of grain has been deposited in it, it will revolve bydepressing the Serial No. 388,125. (No model.)

outer end of the lever S and causing the projection 6 to pass the end 7of the lever. The counterbalance-weight 10 is shifted to the properposition, so that when just the proper amount of grain has been receivedby the upper box its weight will cause the inner end of the lever to bedepressed and the projection 6 to pass the end 7 of the lever. As soonas the projection passes the end 7 of the lever the boxes revolve freelyaround, bringing the lower one uppermost to receive the grain andcausing the contents of the box which was uppermost to be deposited intoa suitable receptacle.

As soon as the boxes commence to turn the discharge of the grain fromthe chute 11 is kautomatically closed through means of a lever 12,pivoted to the frame 1 at 13 and having a projection 14 on its lowerend, which bears against a cam 15,secured to the spindle of the boxes,by which the boxes are pivotally supported. The upper end of the leveris connected'by a link 16 to au end piece 17 of the chute 11, which ispivoted at 18 to the chute. Then the boxes are in their normal position,the projection 11 tits in recesses 19 in the periphery of the cam, andas soon as the boxes start to turn, carrying with them the cam, thelever 12 is moved to the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. I, or tothe position shown in full lines, Fig. III,bringing the hinged end 17 upagainst the mouth of the the chute and shuttingoff the deposit of grain.As soon as the next box comes uppermost the projection 14 enters one ofthe notches 19 again and the end 17 of the chute opens to the positionshown in full lines, Fig. I, and the grain is deposited into theuppermost box, which is then in position to receive it. As the boxesrevolve and the lower one comes uppermost its projection G comes againstthe end 7 of the lever 8 and the rotation of the boxes is stopped.

In case the weight 10 should not be sufficient to cause the lever 8 toovercome the momentum of the boxes and stop them when the projection 6comes against the end 7 of the lever, a ,device may be employed toinsure the stopping of the boxes, and such a device I have shown asconsisting of a lever 20,piv oted at 21 to the frame and which has anup- IOO wardly and outwardly extending end 22 on the side of the pivot21 occupied by the upper box, and on the other side of the pivot 21, orthe side occupied by the lower box, the lever has an upturned end orprojection 23. This latter end of the lever, with its projection, isheavier than the otherV end of the lever, and, when the boxes areturning, falls upon a projectlon 25 on the fra-me 1, as shown in Fig.III;l but when the boxes are in their normal posltlon this end of thelever is sustained by the portion 22 of the other end of the leverbearlng against a projection 24 on the lower box. As soon as the boxesstart to turn the pln 24 leaves this end of the lever, andv then theother end of the lever drops onto the pin 2o, or into the position shownin Fig. III, allowing the lower box to pass the projection 23. Just asthe lower box is reaching its uppermost position a pin 24 on the boxwhich was uppermost comes against the end 22 of the leverandthrows theend 23 up into the position shown 1n dotted lines, Fig. I, thus bringingthe end'23 of the lever in the line of the box, perrnlttlngthe latterend of the lever to strike the box just as the pin 24 leaves the end 22,thus checking the movement of the box, the end 23 ot' the leverinstantly, by reason of its greater Welght, dropping back out of the Wayand elevating the end 22 into engagement with the pin 24 of the box. Thedistance from the end 23 of the lever to the upturned portlon 22 of theother end of the lever is a llttle greater than the Width of the box, sothat when the momentum of the box is checked the end 23 of the leverwill drop again until the upturned portion 22 of the other end of thelever comes against the pin 24, as shown 1n full lines, Fig. I.

.Project-ing from the web 5 of the boxes is a pin 30, and pivoted to anextension of the iframe 1 1s a dog 31, having a notched end resting uponpivot 2, as shown. The arrangement of these parts is such that when theboxes haveassumed theirnormal position the pin 30 will have passed underand raised the notched end of the dog 31, so that as the end 23 of thelever 20 engages or strikes the lower one of the boxes the pin 30 willbe disengaged .from and allow the dog to fall, the pin pass- 1ng1n frontof and engaging the notched end of said dog, thus preventing retrogradeor return movement of the boxes.

When the parts are in their normal position, the weighted end of thelever 8 bears against a pin 8 on the frame 1 and is thus held in itsproper position.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a grain-meter, the combination of asuitable frame, a pair ot boxes pivoted to the frame with the back ofone in line with the back of the other, projections on the boxes attheir lower front corner edges, and a counterbalanced lever pivoted tothe frame and having an outer inturned end and adapted to be engaged bythe projection, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a grain-meter, the combination of a frame, a pair of boxes pivotedto the frame, one on each side of the pivot, projections on the boxes attheir lower front corner edges, and a counterbalanced lever having anouter inturned end adapted to be engaged bythe projections,substantially as set forth.

3. In a grain-meter, the combination of a frame, boxes pivoted to theframe, projections on the boxes,apivoted counterbalanced lever withwhich the projections engage, a chute having a hinged end, a cam carriedby the boxes, and a pivoted lever engaged by the cam and having a linkconnection with the hinged end of the chute, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

4. In a grain-meter, the combination of a frame, a pair of boxes pivotedto the frame and provided with projections,a pivoted counterbalancedlever adapted to be engaged by the projections, and a pivoted lever 20,having ends 22 and 23, one adapted to be engaged by projections on theboxes and the otheradapted to engage or strike the boxes, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a grain-meter, in combination with a pair of pivoted boxes and atrip for releasing the boxes, a lever 20, having the ends 22 and 23, andpins on the boxes for engaging the lever, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

CHARLES D. SPRAGUE.'

In presence of- THos. KNIGHT, E. S. KNIGHT.

